Process of separating water from oil.



J. W. PITTOGK.

PROCESS OF SEPARATING WATER FROM OIL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1908.

Patented July 20, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'JOHN W. PITTOCK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE OIL AND WASTE SAVING MACHINE COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF SEPABATING WATER FROM OIL.

Patented July 20, 1909.

Application filed August 27, 1908. Serial No. 450,429.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN IV. PITTocK, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Processes of Separating Water from Oil, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to improve the process by which Water is separated from oil, and particularly lubricating oil. This ob ect I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying draw ing, the figure of which is a vertical sectional view of a separator arranged to carry out my improved process.

Oil used as a lubricator in many cases, where moisture and water exist, such for instance as in a turbine engine, after being used becomes so intimately mixed with water that it is very difficult to separate the water from the oil. By my improved process, however, I can quickly and economically separate the water from the oil and at the same time filter the oil so as to remove any foreign matter. v

In carrying out my process I may use such a device as illustrated in the drawing, in which A is the casing having a steam jacket a in the present instance, and within the casing is arranged a steam coil B. Both the coil and the jacket are connected to a source of steam supply and in the bottom of the casing I preferably arrange a steam coil B also connected to a source of steam supply. The casing is provided with a cover plate A which has a series of perforations a therein.

' introduction of the oil into the apparatus.

Mounted on the shaft is a basket C having a closed bottom and open at the top. The side walls 0 of this basket are perforated and on the inner surface of the walls is a filter medium 0 either of filter paper, cloth,

into the top of the hol- I low shaft if desired. This construction is preferable in small machines, but in large machines the hollow shaft may be dispensed with and a plain solid shaft used, -in thisevent the oil will be fed into the basket through a pipe C shown by dotted lines in the drawing. On the exterior of the basket are vanes or blades 7, so arranged as to circulate the air within the chamber between the casin and the basket. The water as it is vaporize passes away from the apparatus through the openings a, while the oil flows by gravity to the bottom of the chamber and passes from the apparatus through the outlet pipe a WVhile I have shown a steam turbine E for driving the basket C, other means may be provided if found desirable.

' The process is carried out in the following manner :The basket'is driven at any speed desired and steam is introduced into the coils B, B and the jacket a of the casing. In the apparatus illustrated in the drawing, the oil, intimately mixed with water, is introduced through the hollow shaft C enters the bottom of the basket and is immediately forced against the filtering surface 0 and travels up this filtering surface, the oil and water passing through the filtering material while the foreign particles are held. The oil and water are forced by centrifugal action against the steam coils B and against the inner face of the jacketed casing A, the temperature of the pipes and easing bein such that the water willbe vaporized an the oil will flow by gravity to the bottom of the casing, where it is carried off through the pipe (1 The air in circulation between the basket andthe casing'will aid 1n drying and vaporizing the water which will use in the form of vapor and pass out through the openings a in the covering A.

In some forms of apparatus the coils need not be necessary and in others steam jackets may not be necessary, the main idea being to provide a heated surface againstwhlch' the oil intimately mixed with water is thrown by centrifugal action. 7

In separating clear oil from water it may not be necessary to use the filtering medium.

I claim 1. The process herein described of separating lubricating oil from water, said process consisting in forcibly projecting the intimately mixed oil and water a ainst' a surface heated to a temperature sufiicient to evaporate the water but insuflicient to decompose the oil, whereby the water is vaporized and the oil remains in a liquid state.

2. The process herein described of separatinglybricating oil from water, said process consisting in projecting the intimately mixed oil and water by centrifugal force against a surface heated to a temperature sufficient to evaporate the water without decomposing the oil, whereby the Water is vaporized and the oil remains in the liquid state.

3. The process herein described of separating lubricating oil from water, said process consisting in finely dividing the intimate mixture of oil and water, and then forcibly projecting the finely divided particles against a surface heated to a temperature suflicient to evaporate the Water without affecting the oil, whereby water is vaporized and the oil remains in its liquid state.

4. The process herein described of sepa= ratinglubricating oil from water, said process' consisting in forcibly projecting the mixture in the presence of air in circulation, against a surface heated to a temperature suflicient to vaporize the water without decomposing the oil, the air and the heated surface causing the vaporization of the water While leaving the oil in its liquid state.

5. The process herein. described of separating lubricating oil from water, said process consisting in first filtering the mixture to remove the dirt or other foreign matter therefrom by centrifugal force and forcibly projecting said mixture, after being filtered, against a heated surface in the presence of a current of air, the temperature of said surface being sufiiciently high to vaporize the water without decomposing the oil.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. PITTOCK.

Witnesses:

WALTER CHIsM,

WM. A. BARR. 

